Education Minister Yoav Kisch has ordered the cancellation of a lecture scheduled to take place at an Israeli high school, after it became clear that the lecturer belonged to the "Brothers in Arms" organization.
The lecture, which had been scheduled to take place at the "Ma'ayan Shachar" high school in the Emek Hefer Regional Council, was to be given by Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Ron Scherf, a Brothers in Arms activist.
Scherf had been invited to speak to students as part of a seminar on human rights and democracy. However, the school's administration reversed the invitation following a new directive from the Education Ministry.
In a letter sent to Scherf from the school principal, it was stated: "I would like to thank you for agreeing to participate in the upcoming discussion at our school on the issues of human rights and democracy. After inviting you to speak at the school, I received instructions to prohibit the entry of 'Brothers in Arms' members to the school."
The principal further added, "I contacted my superiors for clear written clarifications and received a new directive from the Director-General of the Ministry of Education, which views the 'Brothers in Arms' organization as an organization that calls for draft refusal or acts to promote refusal, in violation of the National Education Law, and therefore prohibits educational institutions from cooperating with you. Thank you for your willingness to come."